1. Technical Field
The subject invention is a modular crypt assembly and more particularly a modular crypt assembly constructed from a plurality of interconnected crypt modules.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multiple crypt assemblies are typically formed in situ by providing appropriate forms and pouring concrete into the forms to form the multiple crypts. This procedure is expensive and time consuming. In an effort to provide multiple crypt assemblies in a less expensive manner, various module units have been devised. For example, multiple crypt assemblies have been formed from concrete modular units having inverted U or L configurations with the individual modules being stacked one on top of another and side by side to form multiple horizontal rows of crypts and a multiple vertical columns of crypts. While less expensive than the in situ constructions, multiple crypt assemblies constructed using these concrete modular units are still relatively expensive due to the high cost of forming the modules and because the modules, by virtue of their great weight, require a large number of laborers and material handling equipment to erect the assembly.
An example of such a modular crypt assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,656 issued May 22, 1975 to Duwe. The Duwe '656 patent discloses a modular crypt assembly including a plurality of individual modules interconnected both laterally and vertically to one another.
Similar assemblies are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,865 issued Nov. 29, 1966 to Lockman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,772 issued Sep. 20, 1977 to Galul, U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,425 issued Jan. 17, 1978 to Kzorniak, U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,378 issued May 25, 1975 to Omeechevarria and French Patent 1,098,435 issued Jul. 26, 1955 to Narbona. All of these patents disclose modular concrete crypt assemblies including individual modules interconnected with one another to form a modular crypt assembly.
Due to the great weight of such concrete crypt modules, standard tongue and groove joints satisfactorily interconnect adjacent modules and prevent relative movement therebetween. Unfortunately, however, when lighter construction materials are substituted for concrete, e.g. plastics, standard tongue and groove joints do not adequately interconnect adjacent modules. That is, due to the light weight of the plastic materials, tongue and groove joints do not only lack the necessary strength, they do not adequately limit relative movement between adjacent modules. Thus, while lightweight crypt modules offer substantial cost reduction due to their relative ease of handling, they present unique problems with regard to their interconnection with one another.